Hi Mamas! Are you looking for the absolute BEST pregnancy gift for a first time mom? Well, look no further! Today I’m going to teach you how to make your own monthly pregnancy box.
I’ve been itching to share this post for months now…I just had to wait for someone I know to get pregnant so I could get all my supplies!
When I was pregnant the first time around, one of my good friends gave me a NINE MONTH LONG PRESENT! It was awesome!
She said she found the idea on Pinterest, and ever since then, I’ve been trying to find the original article…but I can’t! (You guys let me know if you do, I’d love to credit her!)
- DIY Monthly Pregnancy Box
- Make Your Own Monthly Pregnancy Box!
- WEEK 4: ONE MONTH PREGNANT
- WEEK 8: TWO MONTHS PREGNANT
- WEEK 12: THREE MONTHS PREGNANT
- WEEK 16: FOUR MONTHS PREGNANT
- WEEK 20: FIVE MONTHS PREGNANT
- WEEK 24: SIX MONTHS PREGNANT
- WEEK 28: SEVEN MONTHS PREGNANT
- WEEK 32: EIGHT MONTHS PREGNANT
- WEEK 36: NINE MONTHS PREGNANT
- POST-BABY: CONGRATULATIONS!
- Finally, wrap it all up as a pretty monthly pregnancy box
- Have fun creating a monthly pregnancy box for a special mama in your life
Follow @mommy.labornurse on Instagram to join our community of over 650k for education, tips, and solidarity on all things pregnancy, birth, and postpartum!
DIY Monthly Pregnancy Box
Okay, so here’s how it works…
Have you guys heard of Bump Boxes?
They are super fun! It’s like a gift subscription box you can purchase for a pregnant friend of yours, for each trimester of her pregnancy (they even have one that is for the FOURTH trimester!).
This gift I’m about to share with you is kinda like a homemade Bump Box, but I prefer it just because it’s a little more personal (and cheaper).
Bump Boxes are great if you need to save on time and still want to give a monthly pregnancy box. You can get them shipped to someone in about 2 days with Amazon Prime!
But, if you have a week, and wanna really create something homemade…check out this 9-month pregnancy present I put together!
Here’s how it works
Every 4 weeks mama gets to open a present! Each present is tailored to which month she is going through at that time (so you’re not going to get her a belly band when she’s 8 weeks pregnant…you’ll get her something for morning sickness!)
Usually, when your best friend/sister/cousin/whoever announces their pregnancy…they are typically 8-12 weeks pregnant. So, just let her know that she will get to open the first 2 or 3 presents…depending on where she is in her gestation.
My friend I did this for actually told me very early on, so she only got to open one when I gave it to her…and then she kept on track for the rest of her pregnancy!
So in total, I bought 10 presents. One for each month, and then one for after baby is born!
I tried to do my best to stay within about $5-$15 per present, so in total, this present will run you around $100.
(Just for reference, all three Bump Boxes will cost you $150-they are $50 for each box)
Also just a heads up, an additional cost you may inquire is the supplies needed to wrap the presents…I had all of this stuff, so I didn’t add it into my budget (wrapping paper…tape…cardstock etc.).
Okay, let’s get into the details!
Related Reading: Stuck on What to get mama for Mother’s Day?
Make Your Own Monthly Pregnancy Box!
Choose something to hold all the goodies
First things first, you need a cute box to put all your presents in! I got this one from Amazon, but you could easily get a similar one from Target or Walmart next time you are out!
Okay, once you’ve got a box, time to get all the accessories…(like I said, I had this stuff at my house already, but if you don’t, you’ll have to purchase it).
- Pink and Blue Wrapping Paper (remember, you want both colors, because mama won’t know what the gender is when you give her the present)
- Tape/Scissors for wrapping
- A little card to write about how the present works…
- Cardstock/construction paper for the numbers on each present and the little notes you’ll write inside
So, along with wrapping all the presents (alternating pink and blue for each month- I’m fancy like that, haha), I also included a little note in each. Just a little one or two sentence note for her to enjoy as she opens the present! (I’ve included what I’ve said below in the caption of each pic)
Next up, the presents!
WEEK 4: ONE MONTH PREGNANT
For Week 4, I got her The Belly Book! I love this little book, and I actually had it while I was pregnant too! It’s really fun writing in each week, and the times that I’ve gone back and read through each week, I just adore!
I think any sort of journal or book for week one is appropriate!
Here are some alternatives:
What to Expect When You’re Expecting
WEEK 8: TWO MONTHS PREGNANT
For week 8…mama is probably going to have a bit of morning sickness, so I would go with something nausea-related! I adored ginger snaps during my pregnancy…and as a bonus, they kept my nausea at bay during the first trimester.
These ones were extra spicy on the ginger, too!
Alternatives:
Pink Stork morning sickness tea
Bump stickers! (Not nausea related)
Related Reading: A Typical Day In The Life of A Labor Nurse
WEEK 12: THREE MONTHS PREGNANT
By week 12, things should hopefully be clearing up in the nausea department…I thought belly butter was the perfect gift this month because prevention is KEY when you are trying to go stretch-mark-free!
I loved this one from Burt’s Bees, just because like I said in my note, it was so smooth on my skin, and it doesn’t have a harsh cocoa butter smell.
Alternatives:
Related Reading: The Top Ten Best Stretch Mark Creams During Pregnancy!
WEEK 16: FOUR MONTHS PREGNANT
By week 16, mama should be going for her anatomy scan soon to find out the gender (if that’s what she wants to do!), and I think this picture frame is a perfect little gift for that occasion!
WEEK 20: FIVE MONTHS PREGNANT
Halfway there! By week 20, Mom is 5 months pregnant, and maybe showing signs of a little bump! I’m always a fan of staying super hydrated during pregnancy, so I gave my friend this water bottle to help! This one was nice because it has a little carrier handle at the top, and it fits 750ml. The next few months you can kind of switch up the gifts though, if you want to go out of order!
Alternatives:
WEEK 24: SIX MONTHS PREGNANT
So I absolutely loved this gift, and I think it’s such a smart idea! When I got my pregnancy gift while I was pregnant, these were perfect timing! I was JUST starting to get gifts here and there from family members, and I remember thinking “oh I have to buy some thank you notes…”. Well, I opened my 6-month gift that week and yay! Thank you notes!
Alternatives:
WEEK 28: SEVEN MONTHS PREGNANT
I would have gotten this little hand massager if I were pregnant or not! This thing is so powerful, and it’s soooo soothing getting massages during pregnancy, and I think this is a fun way to “give someone a massage” without spending $50!
Alternatives:
WEEK 32: EIGHT MONTHS PREGNANT
My note says it all! By the 8th month of pregnancy, most mamas are struggling with abdominal discomfort or back pain. I used K Tape as a runner, and it can also be used in pregnancy to help support the ligaments and muscles around your womb!
See this article to know what I’m talking about!
Alternatives:
The Big Fat Activity Book For Pregnant People
WEEK 36: NINE MONTHS PREGNANT
Almost there mama! I gave my friend some bath bombs to enjoy her last few weeks with her bump. I don’t know about you, but I’m a HUUUGE fan of bath time…
There is just something so soothing about soaking in a bathtub to me! The only hard part about taking a bath when you are 9 months pregnant is getting out! But the actual baths I always enjoyed…
I think any sort of “pamper me” gift for this last month will do just fine!
Alternatives:
POST-BABY: CONGRATULATIONS!
So I was absolutely positive I wanted to include some sort of “baby” gift and some sort of “alcohol” gift in this last one! This onesie was super cute (remember to still get a gender-neutral one because you won’t know gender when you wrap it up in month one!), and my friend and her husband are big Prosecco-lovers, so I know she will appreciate a mini-bottle! (Wine will do just the same!)
Alternatives for the “mom gift” if mama is not an alcohol drinker:
Postpartum affirmation support cards
Finally, wrap it all up as a pretty monthly pregnancy box
Once you’ve got all your items, it’s time to wrap them up and stick some numbers on them! I made all of my numbers out of cardstock, and then I just used a thick sharpie to write them all pretty!
I also got my friend a cute little card, and just wrote a nice note for her to open. In it, I also explained how the present works!
Congratulations!! I hope this is a fun present you can enjoy throughout your whole pregnancy. Here’s how it works… Open a present every new month of your pregnancy, each item is a little something you can enjoy in each new stage of being pregnant. You can open gift 1 now, but you’ll have to wait until 8 weeks for gift 2, 12 weeks for gift 3, and so on & so forth! Love you so much! -Liesel
Have fun creating a monthly pregnancy box for a special mama in your life
I hope this present makes your mama feel special! I know it made me feel extra special during my pregnancy because I just love getting little presents! I really looked forward to every 4 weeks, and it was something so exciting to do!
I feel like pregnancy DRAGS on for many mamas, and this is a little way of helping it to move a little faster!
Related Reading: Old Wives Tales About Pregnancy (some of which are actually true!)
Related Reading: Sex During Pregnancy: 10 Questions Answered
